


Hope Revived (Illustrated)

by PlumBytes



Series: Revived AU [1]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, But gradually begin to remember the rest, Canon Compliant, Character Death, Class 78 is alive, Despair, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Eventual Romance, Everyone starts out with their memories of the first day, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hope vs. Despair, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Multiple, Phantom pain, Post-Apocalypse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Revived AU, Sayaka is the protagonist, Strained Friendships, Strained Relationships, Takes place after dr3, Trans Female Fujisaki Chihiro, Trauma, most of the characters are lgbt, sayaka's the protag but i try to make everyone equally important, these kids are in for one hell of a ride
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:27:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24005842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlumBytes/pseuds/PlumBytes
Summary: Sayaka wakes up to find herself in a strange place she doesn't recognize, alongside her classmates Leon, Chihiro, Mondo, Kiyotaka, Hifumi, Celeste, and Sakura. Imprisoned by a strange Monokuma, they are forced to rely on each other in order to find a way to escape.But that's easier said than done. Especially when, as they progress, everyone begins to remember disturbing details regarding their deaths and executions - which affects everyone in a variety of ways. Some take it much harder than others.Sayaka quickly realizes she has to step up to the plate in order to make sure everyone makes it out. She needs to figure out how, and more importantly, WHY they were revived. And whether or not it was good idea in the first place.But answers won't come easily. Especially when someone's bound to snap.(Part of my Revived AU)
Relationships: Celestia Ludenberg & Yamada Hifumi, Eventual Asahina Aoi/Ogami Sakura, Ikusaba Mukuro/Maizono Sayaka, Implied Asahina Aoi/Ogami Sakura, Ishimaru Kiyotaka & Maizono Sayaka, Ishimaru Kiyotaka & Oowada Mondo, Ishimaru Kiyotaka/Oowada Mondo, Kuwata Leon & Maizono Sayaka, Kuwata Leon/Maizono Sayaka (onesided), Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Series: Revived AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1731259
Comments: 48
Kudos: 454





	1. "Urgent, Please Read." [Prologue]

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is part of my revived au! I thought about this au a lot, so I thought I might as well write something w/ it! Each chapter should have at least 1 illustration (drawn by me) but I might add more depending on the chapter. Hope you guys like it, and I really appreciate comments/criticism! Especially since I'm pretty rusty at writing, lmao.
> 
> Also, disclaimer: I'm writing Chihiro as a trans girl in this fic. If that's not your cup of tea, that's fine, just please don't try to argue w/ me about it in the comments. 
> 
> Thank you!

...

To: M. Naegi

From: K. Kirigi

Subject:  **Urgent, Please Read**

* * *

Hello, Makoto. 

I know you’ve been eager for a report on what we’ve found when we investigated the site.  I know I've gone dark for a bit, but trust me that you’re the first person I’m coming to about this information. Not even Byakuya knows yet, to my knowledge. This is the least I can offer you, considering I made the selfish decision go there on my own.

But I don’t think I can let you relive the horrible things we’ve experienced there, regardless of any remnants of nostalgia. We both have interacted with death too many times for me to make you go through that again. I don't say it often, but you're too dear of a friend to me. 

And, unlike you, I’m used to dealing with corpses. Both before and after the Tragedy began. 

I’m not going to beat around the bush anymore. Nor bore you with the details about whether or not Hope’s Peak Academy can be structurally rebuilt. I’ll leave that to Byakuya. 

You want to know the status of  them . Whether or not they were given the same gruesome treatment that Junko’s corpse received. And if we can finally manage to give them a proper burial, after so many years being trapped there. To give some respite to their friends and family. 

But before I go any further, I need to mention something I neglected to tell you since we first left Hope’s Peak Academy. In regards to the bio lab, on the last floor. 

After the final trial, I briefly snuck away from the rest of you to investigate the floor, in addition to the fourth floor. I know the saying "old habits die hard", but I couldn’t find it within myself to leave without at least checking my father’s office. As a sort of delayed final goodbye to him.

As for the fifth floor, I wanted to make sure our friends’ bodies would be possible to extract at a later date. I knew that was what you wanted. Even before we planned to rebuild Hope’s Peak, you’ve been planning to come back for a while now. For them. I hope that it gives their souls some semblance of peace to know you still care for them dearly.

It was the least I could do, since you trusted me to the point of risking your life, all the way back in the fifth trial. 

But when I attempted to open the door to the bio lab, I noticed something peculiar. The door was locked. No keyhole, or anything. Similar to how the lab was when we first discovered it, it was completely locked. Despite my efforts, I’m still struggling to figure out why that was the case  _ after _ Junko had died. But regardless, I couldn’t do anything, and returned to the group almost as quickly as I left it.

But this brings me to what happened this morning. 

We were prepared to completely breach the door. Though the tragedy might be over, the prevalence of destructive weapons still remain. Minor explosives included. This may seem excessive, but the door was solid steel, and remotely locked. Though I can assure you that we took excessive caution in using them to blow the door open, while making sure the bodies inside weren’t harmed. 

But that brings me to my next revelation.

We checked all nine compartments. With the exception of Mukuro, the corpses of our friends are all gone. Not a trace of them left.

We made sure to recover Mukuro’s body swiftly. It’s quite bizarre how, even after years have passed, her corpse has hardly degraded. Well, with the exception of being severely burned. The makeshift morgue must have still been powered, somehow. But rest assured, we have preserved her with absolute care. Perhaps we can eventually hold a small memorial service for her. I imagine you’d want that. Secretly, of course. We still can’t risk the possibility of any smidge of despair returning to anyone, especially if we make it known that we recovered a key figure responsible for the Tragedy. 

Though I know you’re still going to be severely disappointed. I know how much you want to give Sayaka and our other friends back to their own friends and family, who are still grieving their deaths. I imagine Aoi will also be severely upset once she knows that Sakura’s body has somehow gone missing. 

I have hardly any theories about how, or  _ why _ the corpses have been removed. Though I wonder if it ties into how astutely the bodies have been preserved, or if it relates to the door being locked. Regardless, I’m planning a deeper investigation into it as we speak. 

As for the families and friends, I’d advise if we don’t mention this to them at the moment. Tell them that we already buried their bodies. It would only make it harder for them. Though I guess you know that already. Regardless, we can’t take this setback as means to withhold reconstruction. You out of everyone know that we need to move forward, towards the future. If we keep getting stuck in the past, we’ll only get nowhere. 

I’ll give you more details in person. Then we can make plans to tell the others.

Sincerely,

-Kyoko 

  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. "Can't Die Here"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first one wakes up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like the first chapter! Appreciate any comments/criticism <3
> 
> (CW because this chapter might be uncomfortable for people w/ claustrophobia)

  
  
  


* * *

  
  


...

.......Consciousness returned to Sayaka slowly. Once she was made aware of the slight hum echoing in her ears, the rest of her senses soon followed.

First, she moved the joints in her fingers. In jerky movements, they responded to the signals her brain gave them. With her returning sense of touch, she quickly became aware of the definite chill that surrounded her, becoming increasingly uncomfortable the more awake she feels. Which prompts her to open her eyes. 

She winced at the white spots in her vision as it adjusted, but could soon tell that she was…

...well, inches away from a roof of some sort. 

She dared to move an arm slightly, only to meet a wall mere centimeters away from its initial resting position.

After that, she became much, much more awake. Her elevated breathing only increased her alertness and doubled her paranoia.

Desperately, she tried to calm herself as she began to survey the container she’s in. This sense of panic wasn’t unfamiliar to her, as anxiety before performances was common when she first started out as an idol. 

It would only get her nowhere.

...

The view wasn’t great, considering the only source of brightness she could make out was a deep blue LED light that seemed to trace the edge of her container. But it was light enough to make out the edges of the box she was in, which ended only inches below her feet. 

Regardless of her mind telling her otherwise, Sayaka couldn’t help but begin to panic at noticing how well she perfectly fit inside the box. 

It was almost like a casket.

Once that thought passed through her mind, fear quickly followed. Where _was_ she? Was she kidnapped? _Buried alive_? The thought of being trapped dozens of feet underground, with no one the wiser, made her stomach churn. 

She wanted to think this was a dream. But she didn’t dare shut her eyes again.

...

Okay, get it together, Sayaka. You’re not going to die here. You _can’t_ die here.

So think of a way to escape. 

With a shaking fist, she knocked on the roof of the box - her knuckles meeting it with a metal clang. As soon as she realized it was solid steel, Sayaka knew she was done for. Her hopes immediately dashed at realizing how sturdy her container is, and how unlikely it would be for her delicate physique to brute the roof open. 

Welp, no use being calm now.

“Let…” Sayaka’s voice began to croak, surprising herself for a moment at how much it wavered, “Let me _out_ !” She begged whatever god was watching over her that someone, _anyone_ , was able to hear her cry. 

But after a few moments, just as she feared, she received no response.

Tears began to well up in her eyes, as she slammed both of her fists on the roof once again.

“ _LET ME OUT!_ ” 

Her voice was shrill, only dulled by her banging on the ceiling, growing increasingly louder with each slam. 

“HELP! _PLEASE!_ ” 

Sayaka desperately wanted to curl into a ball, only to find the box was too tight to change her position. She couldn’t even move. 

Anger mixed with her anguish as the futility of her situation became apparent. 

How did she even end up here? She turns to her memory for answers, but the last thing she could recall was going to sleep in her room at Hope’s Peak, the night they were all forced to stay within the school. The four words that filled her mind back then, now echo in it now.

“ **I can’t die here.** ”

Sayaka didn’t even try to hold back her tears as she struggled against the walls surrounding her. She couldn’t stop thinking about how much she had to struggle throughout her life, and sacrificed _so much_ in order to reach her dream. She wanted people to remember her. To be remembered. 

Only for her to die unceremoniously, without anyone knowing where. In a hearse. _Her_ hearse. 

At that realization, she only struggled against her fate even more, thrashing with all her might to make some sort of dent in her container. Repeating in her mind: _I can’t die here._ _I can’t die here. I can’t die here._

She can’t die without Ayaka, Satomi, and the others not even knowing what happened to her. She can’t die after all the hell she went through to become what she’d dreamt of since she was a child. All threatened to be ripped away from her, because of that stupid stuffed bear and his _fucked up_ mind games.

_I can't die here. I can't die here. I can't die here._

She tried kicking the roof, alongside with her continuous punches to the ceiling. Sayaka was certain that her knuckles were bruised and bloody from the constant attacks, but she didn’t care.

_I can’t die here. I can’t die here. I can’t die here._

“ _I CAN’T DIE HERE!”_ She shouted once more as she pounded her fist against the steel roof. 

With those words, the last of her fire was gone. Her arms returned to their resting place by her sides, sore and aching from punching the ceiling for what felt like an hour. 

Sayaka knew it was only a matter of moments before she would pass out. Her anxiety has reached its apex, so the risk of fainting is just as high. Her intensifying claustrophobia, on top of the screaming, making her breath ragged didn’t help in the slightest. She could hear the metal echoing in her ears, as it was slowly lulling her into an exhausted, panic-induced fainting spell. 

Her eyes lowered to the point her vision was a blur of faint blue light. But just as soon as she succumbed to her despair, she heard a noise ring through her ears.

**_*beep!*_ **

The idol willed herself to stay conscious - Sayaka’s eyes flying open as she felt her body move in response to the sound. It felt like the entire _container_ was moving. Quickly, she braced herself as the box filled with a bright light, the intensity making her wince as her eyes adjusted. But as soon as she did, she realized something.

  
  


The roof was gone.

  
  


Immediately, she grabbed the sides of the box as she hastily pulled herself up from laying down. If she never got to see her container again, it would be too soon.

Sayaka released a breath she didn’t know she was holding as her feet touched the cold tile floor underneath her. She felt like she could cry, scream, and faint with how overwhelming her emotions were making her feel. Her body still felt like she was going to die. But instead of focusing on that, she decided to look back at what she was trapped in, moments ago. 

The box looked much bigger than what her claustrophobia made it seem. But the idol didn’t focus on that. Instead, she took notice at what the container was connected to. It seemed that it was extended from the wall, alongside several others that aligned with hers - all the way to the other side of the wall. They all had a small rectangular light above each compartment, glowing the same navy blue that Sayaka’s did.

If Sayaka didn’t know any better, she’d almost think it looked like a futuristic morgue of some sort.

Ripping her eyes away from the jarring site, the singer quickly took note that there was hardly anything else within the, admittedly, dusty room. The dull overhead light only added to the creepy aesthetic. 

Sayaka sighed, deciding to let her mind relax for a moment before she decided to take any more inventory. The past 24 hours have been nothing but pure stress, after all. It’ll cause wrinkles.

Compelled to close her eyes to rest briefly, she leaned against the outer part of her container. Her legs were buckling underneath her, obviously struggling to adjust to a standing position after laying down for so many hours. As she gripped the side of the chamber, Sayaka finally noticed something peculiar about her arms. Her _bare_ arms.

She looked down, and realized she was only covered by a white towel wrapped around her body.

“ _Where are my clothes?!_ ” 

Did someone change her out of her pajamas while she was sleeping?! The thought practically made her want to vomit, as she looked once more around the room. As she turned, the idol felt something brush against her foot, underneath the space between her elevated, open chamber, and the floor. Bending to look down, she breathed a sigh of relief as she noticed her uniform was folded neatly beneath. It looked a bit dusty, but still a comforting sight nonetheless.

Though relieved that her uniform was once again under her possession, Sayaka wasn’t sure if she should put it on right then and there. There was the possibility of someone else walking in, after all. And now that Sayaka got a good look at the ceiling, she noticed that there was a small camera at one edge of the room. 

Sayaka felt the compulsion to not care, and simply put her clothes on as soon as possible. Anything to get her out of these clothes that made her feel like a _lab rat_. Nevertheless, Sayaka sighed in defeat. She wasn’t doing a good job in keeping her composure, but she might as well keep her dignity. 

But aside from that, something...still didn’t feel right with her. 

Maybe it was her stupid intuition, but the idol felt as if this was only the beginning of something dreadful. 

And as she moved away from her container, she noticed a small note stuck to the handle of the chamber next to hers. 

Sayaka came to two realizations as she observed the neighboring chamber’s handle: 

Her intuition was unfortunately right. And that someone else _pulled_ her container out of its place inside the wall. 

Someone that clearly didn’t want to make their presence known to her. Was it Monokuma, possibly? Most likely, given the situation. 

Still, from what she’d seen of this room, this wasn’t like any other that she observed from her brief time at Hope’s Peak. But anything seemed possible at this point. 

Before looking down to survey the note, Sayaka glanced at the closed door parallel to her at the other side of the room. Now that she had her bearings, she didn’t feel compelled to stick around. Forget the note. She wasn’t going to continue being a pawn if she could help it.

She moved towards the door, but a thought stopped her in her tracks.

_It can’t be that easy._

And as she went to check, she was right. The door was locked. Looking through its small glass window in the middle, Sayaka could only see a dark, decrepit hallway. Almost pitch black. The unknown practically made a small shiver go down her spine.

With a sigh, she finally turned around to read the note on her neighboring chamber - finally submitting to her captor’s orders. It was in plain, slightly shaky handwriting, but the idol read it clearly:

**“Free me.”**

Instinctively, she knew what they were referring to. As she turned her head towards the back wall, she noticed that there were several other pairs of clothes. Folded similarly to hers, underneath most of the other chambers aligned to the wall.

She counted seven of them. Seven pairs of clothes. Seven _other_ people possibly stuck in the same hellish container that she was stuck in, moments ago. 

Looking at the clothes right below the chamber with the note on it, she took notice of a white studded jacket, grey pants, and a pair of platform shoes. And immediately, she knew who was trapped in there.

Taking in another deep sigh, Sayaka crumpled the note in her hands, threw it to the ground, and gripped the handle of the chamber. 

Time to get to work. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. "Partners"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sayaka gets to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for the feedback regarding the prologue and chapter 1! I loved reading your comments, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! It's a long one.
> 
> Feedback is always appreciated!
> 
> This chapter's CW: there's a panic attack that happens at a point in the story. Stay safe!

Sayaka ignored her nerves as she held the solid steel handle attached to the chamber. Her stomach twisted in anxiety, from what happened to her moments before, and what will happen moments after. She felt her hands hesitate slightly, feeling the cold metal on her fingertips.

_Cold. Too cold. And dark._

Her breath hitched slightly, but just as quickly steadied it. Forget about herself for a second.

Focus on the task at hand.

All she had to do was just...pull it, right? 

That’s what the note implied - what she imagined the mystery person did when it came to freeing her.

A brief chill ran up the idol’s spine as she thought about them. A mystery in the sense that she didn’t understand why they didn’t want to make themself known to her. Mysterious in the sense that she didn’t know why _she_ had to be the one to open the rest of the containers. Her consciousness swims with unfiltered possibilities and fears, but she decided to ignore it in favor of just doing the simple task assigned to her. 

Fear or no fear, she wasn’t going to let anyone else feel trapped in these containers. For all she knows, they could be going through the same panic _she_ was in.

It was that thought that convinced her to harshly tug on the handle, hard as she could. 

For a second, it wouldn’t budge. Doubt made Sayaka's heart drop slightly, and her grip began to shake. Did she interpret the note incorrectly?

**_*beep!*_ **

****She flinched at the abrupt noise, jerking her hand away from the handle.

Then, the chamber moved forward slowly - the rectangular overhead light blinking - until its contents could be revealed to the idol.

She already knew who it was laying in the box, but seeing his familiar, wild red hair still made her let out a small gasp in recognition.

  
“Leon?” Sayaka whispered, unable to take her eyes off the baseball star's face. 

Leon's hair wasn’t gelled back as it normally was, causing tufts to stick out in random places over his face. He had a towel similar to hers, wrapped around his torso in the same fashion. It was almost _unnatural_ to see the self-proclaimed punk without his studded jacket and grungy shirt, considering how much he valued standing out.

But that wasn’t the thing that got her attention.

Unlike how she imagined she was when she was trapped in her box, Leon looked completely relaxed - eyes closed. Unsettlingly still. 

For a second, Sayaka wasn’t even certain his chest was rising and falling.

“ _Leon!_ ” She cried, concerned that she was too late. Sayaka gripped his shoulders, shaking the baseball player for any sort of reaction. She felt hopeful at feeling that he was still warm.

“Mmmnh…”

Sayaka let out a breath of relief as she heard a noise leave Leon’s lips, but noticed his eyes were still closed. Upon closer inspection, the idol could see some drool dripping from his mouth as well.

...Was he _sleeping_?

The singer huffed, annoyed that when she was suffering a panic attack, Leon was just sitting in his box, looking as comfortable as he would be in his own bed! He must really be a heavy sleeper…

Removing her hands from his shoulders, Sayaka lent close to the baseball player’s ear, and yelled at the top of her lungs. 

“Leon, _wake up_!” 

“......Hmm?” Leon stirred, and rose up slightly at the sound of her voice with slightly opened eyes. They were, however, glazed and showed signs of being half-asleep. He seemed to be staring off into space, not directly looking at her. 

Sayaka exhaled, glad she finally woke him up.

"Leon! Ho-"

Until Leon blinked slowly, yawned, and promptly laid back down against the steel bed. 

“Ugh!” Sayaka groaned, frustrated. “Leon, we don’t have _time_ for this!” She snapped, removing one hand from her face to shake his shoulder - more intensely this time.

“Mmmh…!” The athlete groaned in irritation, creaking one unfocused eye open to meet Sayaka’s glare with a sleepy one of his own. He turned his back to her. “...mm...Five more minutes…”

"We don't _have_ five more minutes! You need to get up!" 

Extreme annoyance and awe made Sayaka briefly consider shutting the chamber door again, before another groan from Leon caught her attention. 

“...mm...wait…”

Well, he sounded more awake now. 

Sayaka noticed his head shift slightly, probably now realizing that he was indeed _not_ resting on the pillow in the bed he went to sleep in previously. 

“Are you awake, _now_?” Sayaka swore she didn’t intend to sound that catty, but it seemed her voice was enough for him to turn over to face her.

“...Sayaka…?” He asked, his eyes gradually getting wider as he took in the idol’s deep blue hair and impatient scowl. Then his eyes grew as wide as saucers as he realized she was watching him sleep.

“ _SAYAKA_!” He shouted as he quickly shot up in a brief panic, making her stagger back as Leon almost smacked into her. But after a few moments, the athlete recognized his overreaction, and lowered himself to rest on his elbows in what Sayaka could only assume was an attempt to make himself appear less freaked out than he actually was. 

  
  


“Uh...What’s up?” 

Leon asked in an attempt at nonchalance, but the wavering in his voice betrayed his embarrassment. The fact that he was laying in the middle of a morgue-esque chamber didn’t help in the slightest. 

Possibly the worst smooth-recovery attempt Sayaka had the misfortune of witnessing, but she was wise enough not to voice that fact. 

“Not much…” Sayaka lied, eyeing the drool that puddled where Leon’s head used to lay, “But you seemed pretty...comfortable, in there?” She gestured to the futuristic chamber. 

Leon followed her hands, and his eyebrows shot up as he surveyed his resting place. Either that, or it was an attempt to avert her gaze as his cheeks were becoming as red as his hair. 

“Oh,” He said simply, laughing nervously. “Heh, guess I did.”

“That’s all you have to say…?” Sayaka asked, dumbfounded. Leon only chuckled, visibly frazzled, self-consciously pulling his towel over his chest. 

“Well, I definitely know this is _not_ where I crashed last night.” He joked, but still obviously unsettled, “Surprised I slept so long in here. Honestly, it’s more comfortable than the beds in our dorms…” Sayaka _hoped_ that was another one of his crummy jokes.

“Well,” Sayaka held her hand out, and Leon hesitantly grabbed it, “I hope you liked your nap!” She gave him a practiced easygoing smile, which simmered Leon’s embarrassment slightly. It wasn't going to do anyone good if she only made him feel awkward. 

The idol shut the chamber as Leon began to stretch his arms and legs, noticing how rehearsed it was for him. Which _does_ make sense, given his status as an athlete.

Leon couldn’t help but look around the room as he cracked his neck with wide eyes, “...Where the hell _are_ we, anyway?” He asked, worry in his voice as he undoubtedly felt the unsettling atmosphere of the room. 

“Good question…” Sayaka sighed, furrowing her brows to indicate she had zero answers.

Turning his head towards his closed box, Leon could only see a rectangular outline as it fit perfectly inside the wall. Looking above it, Sayaka also took notice that its blue overhead light was now turned off. Checking above her chamber, she realized it was the same for her own. 

“Geez,” Leon gulped as he took in the wall, “This feels like some science fiction shit.”

Sayaka could only nod in agreement, as she bent down to pick up his clothes. 

“Here you go by the way.” She held them out. Once Leon realized she was holding his clothes, he quickly grabbed them. 

“Thanks!” He flashed her an awkward grin, before noticing her attire. “...Where’s, uh, yours though?”  
  


“I put them in my chamber.” Sayaka gestured to her open compartment, “It felt...gross, to leave them on the floor, or change them in here.” She pointed towards the camera at the top corner of the room.

“...Oh.” Leon remarked as he noticed the camera, distaste becoming clear on his face as he realized he simply couldn’t change into his clothes. "'Course there's cameras." He sighed. 

“So, I’m guessing this is Monokuma’s doing?” He asked, scratching the back of his neck, “–Or was all that a dream?” He asked, hopeful. A nightmare, more like it…

“No...unfortunately I remember being trapped at Hope’s Peak, too. Though I don’t remember seeing _this_ place though. And I don’t recognize the door, either.”

Leon turned his gaze to the aforementioned door across the room, interest plain on his face.

“ _Speaking_ of which…”

“I don’t think it’ll work.” The idol shook her head, looking the opposite way towards the rest of the unopened chambers. Despite her voicing her doubts, she could still hear Leon’s footsteps make towards the door. “It’s locked. I think we should open _these_ ones as well, anywa-”

**_*Click!*_ **

Immediately, she whipped her head around to see Leon, holding a cracked-open door. He met her eyes with a delightfully surprised expression.

“Welp, it seems like it’s open to me.” He remarked. 

“You think you’re so smart, huh?”

“What can I say?” Leon smirked, holding the door open for her with a gratuitous bow, “I’ve always had a knack for getting things right on the first try.”

As much as Sayaka wanted to roll her eyes at the dramatic gesture, she couldn’t rip her eyes away from the ominous aura that the hallway in front of her emitted. Even with the light in the room casting out into the pathway, the idol still could hardly make out anything.

“...I don’t think we should leave, yet.” She confessed, not moving towards the door. 

“Eh? Why not?” Leon looked at her like she was crazy, “You got a thing for creepy rooms or something?”  
  


“When it comes to even _creepier_ hallways, I do.” Sayaka gestured toward the outside.

That seemed to shut him up quickly, as he _slowly_ closed the door, getting visibly paler the more he stared out into the grim hallway.

“And it’s not just that,”

Leon pulled his gaze away as Sayaka got closer to the other piles of clothes folded next to the wall.

“I think there’s other people stuck in here, too.”  
  


“For real _..._?!” Leon asked in shocked disbelief, jogging over to where Sayaka bent down over one assortment of clothes, at the chamber next to his. 

Under the pile was a poofy brown skirt, with a green jacket, black stockings, and a pair of beige mary-janes resting on top of it. 

“Guess you aren’t lying…” Leon muttered with concern, right as Sayaka realized whose chamber she was staring at.

“That looks like Fujisaki’s clothes, right?”

The idol nodded, as she stood up to glare at the container’s handle. She gently smacked her cheeks, trying to psyche herself up. 

“Yeah, so I’m going to open her chamber like I did with yours!” She said with determination, putting her hand on the cold metal grip. _Cold..._

She shook her head, turning towards the puzzled baseball player. 

“You can look around the hallway, if you want. I don’t want to overwhelm Fujisaki by having _two_ people stare at her as she wakes up in a...weird box thing.” Especially considering Chihiro seems like the easily-frightened type…

Leon scowled at her suggestion, “ _Hell_ no. I’m not gonna leave you here alone!” He cast a suspicious glance at the camera on the ceiling, “Who _knows_ what kinda freaks are lurking around here.”

He looked determined as he shouted that, but quickly faltered the longer he looked at Sayaka, who had a grave expression. 

“Heh, uh. Sorry. That probably made you feel worse, huh?” He scratched his head, embarrassed. “What I _meant_ was, if we’re gonna explore this place, we should probably stick together.” 

Sayaka wasn’t sure if he made that statement out of genuine concern, or out of something else. Either way, she decided to placate him.

“I’m fine,” Sayaka gave a small smile in affirmation, “But I agree, that sounds like a smart idea.” She said as she saw Leon fiddling with his hands, unsure of what to do. “Maybe you should open the chamber next to me? Just pull on the handle.” She pointed towards the one next to Chihiro’s. 

“Ah, right.”  
  


As Leon gave her a nod, she breathed in another inhale, and tugged on the handle as hard as she could. And just as she expected, a sound erupted from the container after a few moments.

**_*beep!*_ **

She tried to steel herself as the chamber moved from its compartment. Even though she was already certain the tiny girl was all right in there, she dreaded the thought that she was already awake, terrified of being trapped in a box she couldn’t get out of on her own.

_Couldn't move. Couldn't breathe._

The first thing she noticed was Fujisaki’s messy bob of auburn hair, with bangs covering her face in a way that prevented her from getting a better look. Her small hands were resting on her stomach, unresponsive. Like Leon, she seemed asleep. But Sayaka can only hope that she isn’t nearly as much of a heavy sleeper the athlete was. At least she looked peaceful, resting like that. 

Sayaka almost felt bad for wanting to wake her up. Almost.

“Chihiro?” She called out to her, trying her best to be gentle as she raised her voice. “Fujisaki Chihiro?”

Thankfully, the programmer was already beginning to stir at Sayaka’s call. The idol was glad she didn’t have to raise her voice, as it felt wrong to wake her so abruptly. Like how most people couldn’t find it in their heart to wake up a puppy, or a kitten.

It looked like Chihiro was gradually waking up, with little complications. Sayaka was happy about that.

Until Chihiro's large eyes flew wide open.

_“ Aaah! ”_

What she didn’t expect was Chihiro to release a strangled gasp, and shoot up straight from her seat, as if she woke up from a terrible nightmare. The idol jerked back as Chihiro was inches away from smacking her nose with hers.

“Chihiro?!” Sayaka noticed she was beginning to shiver slightly, as she put a hand on the programmer’s shoulder. It took a second for Chihiro to realize that someone was touching her, barely registering the contact until she looked up at Sayaka’s concerned expression, horror plain on her face. 

“...Maizono?” She asked, beads of cold sweat already budding on the top of her forehead, which she wiped off promptly. Sayaka nodded in confirmation.

“Yep, it’s me. Are you alright? Why did you scream like that?” She looked over her shoulder to find Leon was looking at them, equally as worried.

At the mention of that, Chihiro’s lips tightened into a thin line, but her face softened. 

“I...I don’t _know_.” She confessed meekly - her face a mix of confusion and fear. "....Sorry." 

Sayaka wasn’t sure whether or not to push for more, especially considering the programmer gave her no vibe that she was lying. But she tried to give her her best calming smile.

"You don't need to apologize. You just scared me a bit!" She assured her, letting Chihiro look around her chamber - to let her adjust to her surroundings. 

“Hey, is everything all right over there?” She heard Leon ask from behind her. 

"Yeah, Chihiro just got scared waking up in her chamber." At least, that's what Sayaka assumed that was.

“Um...Speaking of which...Where _are_ we?” Chihiro asked, growing almost as alert as she was when she originally woke up, taking in her surroundings.

“That’s a great question.” Sayaka smiled nervously, holding out her hand. Chihiro nervously took it as the singer helped her out of her container.

“I have no idea where we are! Leon and I woke up the same way you did.” Well, excluding the fact that Sayaka had a claustrophobia-induced panic attack, but the programmer didn’t need to know about that embarrassing detail…

“Huh…” Chihiro muttered simply, but Sayaka could tell by the way her eyes began to scan around the room that she was trying to process everything.

“This...is certainly _weird_.” The programmer commented after a few moments, before looking back at her chamber. 

“...I wonder how long we’ve been in there…” She mumbled. It was obvious by the lack of inflection in her voice that she was still in the process of completely waking up. Sayaka felt herself grow colder the more she thought about it. She rubbed the bruises on her knuckles.

_Sore and aching from punching the ceiling for what felt like an hour._

As the two stood there, Sayaka letting Chihiro adjust to the situation, Chihiro finally took notice of their...clothing situation.

“Um...where are our _clothes_ , by the way?” She asked in a high-pitched whisper, a deep blush creeping on her cheeks.

“Right here!” Leon decided to join the conversation, apparently already holding the programmer’s clothes in his hands. Chihiro quickly took them from him, with an appreciative nod. “But, uh, we can’t really change in here.” He gestured to the open space.

“Oh…” Chihiro looked uncomfortable, “...Right. But why are we in these towels in the first place? Seems kind of unnecessary.”

“Ugh, _tell_ me about it. This place is already freezing!” Leon complained, wrapping his arms around his chest to ensure no risk of the cloth slipping, " I know I got a killer bod and all, but I just wanna get into my clothes and out of this weird bath towel." 

Sayaka cleared her throat, noticing Leon had yet to do something.

“I thought you were going to open the chamber next to Fujisaki’s?” Sayaka asked him, and was surprised to see him immediately stiffen.

“...Leon?”

The baseball player swallowed.

“Heh, well, uh...I noticed something about the clothes…” He drifted off, stepping away for Sayaka to better see what he’s talking about. 

She hadn’t had a good look at the others’ clothes yet, but she could already tell that this pile was significantly simpler than the rest. All that was there was a large tank top, resting on top of a pair of baggy pants along with some loafers and a belt.

“What about it?” Sayaka asked, not understanding Leon’s nervousness. The athlete sighed.

“Can’t you tell by the belt?” He asked, picking it up out of the pile to show it to the idol. Upon closer inspection, the buckle was more intricately detailed than the rest of the ensemble. Sayaka could tell its shape resembled a komainu. Still, she couldn’t figure out why it was such a cause for concern for Leon, and her prolonged silence voiced as much.

“...It’s _Oowada’s_!” He hissed, looking somehow more intimidated than he was when he looked out into the hallway.

“Wait, Oowada? He’s here too?” Chihiro asked, surprised. Sayaka nodded, before turning back to Leon.

“So? Just pull on the handle.” 

“But...what if he punches me? When he sees me, for all he knows, _I’m_ the one who could’ve shoved him in there!”

“Are you...scared of him?”

Leon scoffed.

“I’m not _scared_! I just...like my face the way it is!” He denied. 

“Honestly, Leon…” Sayaka sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, “I know he’s a tough biker and all, but I imagine even _he_ has his limits when it comes to violence.”  
  


“Tell that to Naegi! Don’t you remember Oowada sending him flying across the gym, yesterday?”

At his words, the memory of Mondo knocking Makoto out cold with a single punch popped into Sayaka’s mind. As she remembered the small boy’s familiar face, something tugged at her. Was _he_ trapped here, too? Sayaka selfishly hoped so. Aside from their basic introductions at the school’s entrance, everyone else was an absolute stranger. At least with Makoto, there was always that reassuring sense of familiarity. 

She snapped out of her thoughts once she noticed Leon inching away from Mondo’s box. 

“Fine, _I’ll_ open it, if you don’t want to so badly!” She snapped, folding her arms, shooting an icy glare at the baseball player.

After a brief yet intense staredown, Leon finally backed down, holding his hands up in defeat. 

“Alright, fine! Only because I don’t want Oowada to mess up your face.” Sayaka practically rolled her eyes. While his fears regarding the biker weren’t without any foundation, she was pretty sure Oowada had a thing against hitting girls anyway, from what little she knew about him. 

“Fine, just pull the handle.” 

And Leon sure took his sweet time getting closer to the chamber, but eventually tugged at the metal bar. All three waited, with Chihiro and Leon exchanging confused glances as it didn’t open immediately. But Sayaka knew the drill. 

**_*beep!*_ **

The programmer visibly flinched and the baseball player tensed, leaving Sayaka to suck in a deep breath as the container slid out. She peered down inside to see the person within.

For a second, she wasn’t sure if the man inside _was_ Mondo Oowada. He looked considerably different than when she met him previously. His pompadour was undone, leaving thick, messy locks of bleached hair to cover most of his face. His eyeliner was also absent, and his face wasn’t contorted into the agitated sneer she had come to associate him with. He looked uncharacteristically calm - peaceful.

It took the idol several extra moments to confirm that, yes, the person inside was the biker she had met the day prior.

“Um…” Sayaka felt weird at catching herself discerning his facial features, “Oowada?”

A strange noise erupted from the biker in response, but Sayaka could look past his messy hair to determine his eyes were still closed. Another sound came soon after.

“Is he _snoring_?” Leon asked, looking down into the container. As Mondo snored in reply, he sighed.

“He looks totally out of it…” She could hear him snicker. Probably realizing he was nervous over nothing. 

“Hey, _you_ don’t have room to talk.” Sayaka turned away from the chamber to glare at him. Leon raised his hands defensively.

“Hey, at least I don’t snore _that_ loud!” 

“....Oowada?” 

The two turned to find Chihiro already attempting to shake the biker’s shoulder, but Mondo hardly moved at the force of her touch. She looked up at them with worried eyes.

“Can you two help me wake him up, please?” 

“Oh...right!” Sayaka felt her cheeks burn slightly at forgetting the current task. Leave it to Leon to distract her from the obviously serious situation they’re all in…

The two rejoined Chihiro at Mondo’s chamber, Sayaka planting a hand on his other shoulder to shake him roughly, while Leon looked like he was about to poke a sleeping bear.

“Oowada, wake up!” Sayaka shouted, and for a second she faltered.

_..._

The idol became dizzy, and she stopped shaking as vigorously. It felt as if all the screaming and anxiety she had gone through in the past half-hour was beginning to make her head swim, as it caught up with her in a tidal wave. 

_Throat hurts from screaming, shouting. For the first and final time, her voice reached no one._

_..._

Those weird, unfiltered thoughts shook her to her core. Her mind felt fuzzy. But she can’t just _stop_. Not when Mondo is still asleep, and there was so much more to do…

  
  


…

...

  
  


“WAKE UP, DUDE!” 

  
  


Sayaka looked down to find that, in the middle of her confusion, her hand wasn’t the one shaking Mondo anymore, instead replaced by an entirely different one. She looked up, where Leon was picking up her slack, shouting twice as loudly into the biker’s ear. 

“Hnghh…” The biker looked irritated at the athlete’s volume, and slowly raised his hand to swat Leon away from his head, not even opening his eyes yet. Leon was able to swiftly dodge, as the three heard a groan. 

“...Five more minutes, D…” He shifted.

Leon was too busy being frazzled with how close his fist was with his face to focus on his words. Even Chihiro slowed her own efforts in concern, but also in hope at the biker finally beginning to wake. But the baseball player quickly doubled down. 

“No, come on man! Get _up_ !” He shouted, frustrated. Leon raised his own hand, and for a second Sayaka thought he was going to _punch_ the guy.

But thankfully Leon only poked Mondo’s cheek, pressing enough to make the biker’s face scrunch up. Which definitely provoked a reaction. 

Faster than her mind could wrap around, Mondo’s hand was firmly on Leon’s wrist, and the baseball player let out a yelp in fearful surprise. 

“...The _fuck_ , dude?!” Mondo growled at him, his eyes opening to shoot Leon a glare. Leon could only sputter before the biker’s attention shifted to the chamber surrounding him. 

“Wait, what the hell _is_ this?!” He shot up, alert, before noticing the room he was in, as well as the towel wrapped around him shifting with his movement. He stilled for a moment, taking in the pale white room.

“Ah, well-!” Sayaka finally found her voice, making sure to _gently_ grab Mondo’s hand and take it _gently_ off of Leon’s wrist, which was undoubtedly losing blood circulation, “We don’t know! We all woke up here, and-”

  
  


“Am I dead?”

  
  


Sayaka’s eyes widened at how quiet the biker’s gravelly voice spoke those words. Or how his anger fizzled out as soon as he said them. Now there was only dread, and some other emotion Sayaka couldn’t pin on his face. 

“...What?” Was all she could ask, Leon also at a loss for words. The succeeding silence was deafening. Mondo's face was the most serious she'd ever seen it. His question was genuine. And for some reason, it made her stomach churn.

_Can't die here. Can't die here. Can't die here._

“No, we aren’t dead!” 

She snapped out of it at Chihiro's words and looked up towards her. She held her hand out in the same fashion Sayaka did to her, offering to help Mondo out of his chamber.

“We all just woke up like this, Oowada. We have no clue what's going on, or where we are.”

The biker looked unamused at the hand for a brief moment, before ignoring it in favor of getting out on his own. He grunted.

“Could’ve fooled m— _shit_ ,” He stumbled as his legs gave out for a moment, once he touched the floor. But just as quickly, he used his chamber to hold himself up. “This place looks like a weird sorta morgue.” He stated nonchalantly after he regained his footing. Even with his undone hair in his face, Sayaka could tell he was red with embarrassment at his fall.

“...How do you know what a morgue looks like?” Leon asked incredulously. Good grief, Sayaka could tell he was already assuming the worst.

“None of yer _business_!” Mondo snapped, and Leon instinctively backed away with a yelp. Well, so much for his anger simmering down…

“Anyway!” Sayaka yelled to catch the boys’ attention, ignoring how sore her throat felt as she shouted. _Too much screaming. Too much shouting._

“We have more important things to focus on.” She said once she noticed Leon, Mondo, and Chihiro turned their heads towards her. 

“There’s still other people trapped in these...things, and we still need to figure out _where_ we even are.” At her words, Mondo looked around to survey the room. While his face was stone, Sayaka noticed his lips tighten in growing worry - his fists tightened. Chihiro similarly examined the rest of the chambers with concern. Meanwhile, Leon gave Sayaka an agreeing nod, his face not as light as it was before. He stared at Sayaka.

The three processed her words, with Leon being the first to speak.

“Exactly!” Leon said as he perked up, moving to stand by Sayaka’s side. 

“Maizono and I will go out into the hallway and look around. You two—” He pointed at both Chihiro and Mondo, who were giving him confused and irritable stares, respectively, “—can work on opening as many of these things as you can, in the meantime!”

“Huh?” Both Sayaka and Mondo asked, “Why should we split up?” The idol asked. After all, she was pretty certain that she and Leon agreed to _not_ separate earlier.

“Yeah, why do you two get the easy shit?” Oowada barked. 

“Because we can cover more ground that way.” Leon answered, pointing towards the hallway. “And we won’t be _completely_ split up. You and I’ll stick together, Maizono, while Oowada and Fujisaki work to wake the others up. You know how to open them up, right Chihiro?” He turned to the programmer.

Chihiro blushed slightly, but nodded, “Ah, y-yes! I saw how you and Maizono opened them up, so I should be able to show Oowada how to do it too!” She looked pleased, while the biker was the opposite.

“Wait, how come _we_ have to do it, though?” Mondo asked defiantly. Sayaka had already figured _he_ wasn’t going to just take orders without question. 

While he was asking Leon, it was Chihiro who cleared her throat to grab his attention. She pointed a tiny finger at the chambers. “Because they’re the ones who helped _us_ out, so we should do the same for everyone else.” She said with determination. "With you helping out, we can help everyone out in no time!" Sayaka noticed the undertone of admiration in Chihiro's words.

But Mondo didn't seem to pick it up though, looking like he wanted to argue with her. But surprisingly she held his gaze in a brief staredown, challenging him to disagree. While meek and nervous, Sayaka could tell she had an unwavering determination when it came to helping out others. And Mondo could tell as well, as he looked away - realizing it was pointless to argue.

Mondo grumbled something under his breath, which Sayaka took as his begrudging compliance. But even with everyone else agreeing, the idol was still uncertain.

“I just don’t get why we can’t wait until everyone else is up?” She asked Leon.

“Because the sooner we understand where we are, the sooner we can figure out a way to get the hell outta here. And Mondo and Chihiro’ll have it covered while we’re gone, anyway.” 

Not even Sayaka could argue with that, but she looked back to Chihiro. The programmer gave her a nod, and the idol sighed.

“Alright...I promise we’ll be back soon, though!” She exclaimed, as Leon picked up his clothes and dove into Sayaka’s chamber to fish out her own, before handing them to her.

“Be back in a few!” Leon gave them a peace sign as he shouted, already waiting at the door. Chihiro gave them both a small wave, while the biker shot them both a suspicious glare.

“I don’t mind helpin’ out...but if I find out you guys only ducked out to play tonsil hockey, I’ll beat your _ass_ , Kuwata.” He held his fist in the air to show he meant business.

The baseball player gave shaky laugh, well aware of the truth in the biker’s words.

“Yeah, yeah…” He held the door open to the hallway, and looked back to the idol, “Let’s just go, Sayaka.”

The idol could only nod, and followed him out. 

  
  
  
  


* * *

The hall was still decently dark, but Sayaka could map out a good distance away now that her eyes adjusted. But from what she could tell, it was significantly different than the bright, gaudy interior of Hope’s Peak.

With reinvigorated determination, she walked with a bit more jump in her step. Sure, she was terrified out of her mind at what could be lurking in the darkness, but as long as she had someone else with her…

She turned to look at Leon, to find him slowly following along, the distance enough for her to quirk an eyebrow. Leon seemed nervous as well, but he certainly didn’t look like he held the same resolve to check out the building. Which was weird, because _he_ was the one who suggested they left…

“Leon?” 

He perked up.

“Yeah?” 

“What was the _real_ reason you wanted me to leave with you?”

The baseball player flinched, which was enough to tell Sayaka she was right on the money. He gave a nervous laugh.

“Heh, guess you really _do_ have good intuition…” He exhaled.

The idol narrowed her eyes, as she squared her shoulders more defensively, “I hope it wasn’t for the reason Oowada suggested…”

“What? _No_!” Leon looked offended at the implication, “I’m not a creep like that!”

“Then why…?” She trailed off, as she noticed he looked at her with deeply worried eyes. _What...?_

  
  


“Sayaka, you’re _shaking_.”

  
  


It felt like as he said that, she couldn’t help but look down to see if he was right. And true to his words, the Ultimate Pop Sensation was absolutely quivering. _She felt cold. Too cold. Ice cold._ _It felt wrong._

As the realization hit her, she released a shaky sigh.

“O-oh…” Was all she could say. How on earth did she not even notice her body reacting this way?

And more importantly, how did she not even realize how _anxious_ she feels, until now?  
  


“I thought you probably needed some fresh... _er_ air, outside of the room. After I noticed you shaking when you were trying to wake up Oowada. Think Chihiro picked up on it, too.”

She looked up to see Leon rubbing the back of his head with concern, “But If I’m being honest, you acted kinda out of it since you woke _me_ up…”

... _Oh._

“So...did something, like, happen to you? Before you woke me up, I mean. Uh, thanks for that, by the way.”He awkwardly added.

_She was trapped. Can't leave. Can't escape. Loud banging filled her ears._

_This was it._

Sayaka could only stare at the baseball player with wide eyes, as she tried to force herself to answer. But she couldn’t. Not when a feeling of overwhelming despair hit her square in her mind. All her anxiety, fear, confusion, and anger had a vice grip on her throat, preventing her from making any sort of cohesive reply.

_Can't die here. Can't die here. Can't die here._

So all she did was let out a strangled cry. 

  
  


Leon staggered back as the idol dropped to the floor in a sob, his hands pulled back as if he’d been burned. But soon, he was down on one knee, right in front of her. 

“Shit﹘Did I say something wrong?! Fuck, I’m sorry-” He continued to ramble, before Sayaka made an attempt to open one eye, to be greeted with his blurry figure through her tears.

“N-no...It _*hic*_ wasn’t you…” She croaked out, not wanting him to believe he was responsible. Leon immediately halted his babbling to let her continue.

“I...I thought I was going to _die_ …” 

She wondered how bad she shook when Oowada asked if they already were.

“I...I feel trapped...Like when I was in that _box_ , alone...I kicked, screamed, but I couldn't move...breathe...and _*hic* no one_ could hear me…!”

She feels lightheaded, like how she was when she was about to pass out, in her chamber. That terrifying feeling of resignation, as she succumbed to despair.

Leon processed her words for several long moments, staring at the sobbing girl with shocked, pale eyes. 

“ _Shit_ …” He could only whisper, visibly taken aback by her revelation. Either that, or by how thoroughly she’s humiliating herself right now, crying on the floor like a child. 

Sayaka thought she could just _hide_ this. Subconsciously ignore how much she felt like she was still about to die. One of the most important things she’d learn becoming an idol was to mask her feelings, after all. Like how she would perform with a smile on her face, no matter how awful she felt. But in this case, it felt as if her heart beat her mind. Her emotions defeat her logic. 

It scares her to catch herself this close to the edge. 

“...That... _That’s_ why I wanted to get you guys out so badly...So you guys didn’t have to, either…” She sniffled, finally feeling her tears settle down. 

She wanted to cover her eyes, utterly embarrassed at how much she’d come undone at Leon’s words. But being embraced by absolute darkness would only remind her…

_...She was going to die unceremoniously, without anyone knowing where. In a hearse. Her hearse._

But something flickered in Leon’s eyes as she said that, making his guilt-ridden expression soften. Digging through his pile of clothes, the baseball player fished out his white jacket, and wrapped it around the shaking idol’s shoulders.

  
  


“...You know, you’re a good person, Sayaka.”

Sayaka was about to force herself to say something, when Leon stopped her.

"I know we gotta hurry to get out of here. But it isn't going to do you any good to pretend you're alright when you're not, okay?" The idol was quiet, knowing he was right. The baseball player sighed.

"Thinking like that's only gonna be a recipe for disaster."

Leon held a hand out. Sayaka took it, noticing she wasn’t shaking as hard as before now that the chill of the hallway wasn’t crashing onto her shoulders.

Leon pulled the idol up to her feet, letting her adjust while he scanned the rest of the path of the hallway.

“And for right now, we're all in this together, right?" He gave her a comforting pat on her back. "Like you and your girl group. Partners!" 

The analogy made Sayaka smile slightly. It reminded her that she wasn't counted out, yet. She wasn't the only person trying to get out of here.

She wasn't alone.

"Right...partners." She agreed.

The word helped ground her, as she felt her shivering lessen, and her tears dry up. She still felt awful, but Leon's encouragement gave her the motivation to press forward. Distracting her from the undercurrent of fear and uncertainty at the back of her mind.

And thus, the two began to walk again, more leisurely this time. Sayaka now realized her own limits, so she didn’t try to force herself to quickly cover each part of the hallway as soon as she could. She let Leon lead slightly, as they traversed the hall.

The hall itself was straight down, not exactly narrow but tight enough for Sayaka to feel a slight tug of dread as she noticed it. An array of doors lined the walls on each side, but each was the same as the other: locked.  
  


There wasn’t much they could do, as their vision was still significantly impaired. But still, they checked each one, until they reached the end of the hallway.

As Leon jiggled the doors on the side, Sayaka couldn’t help but notice a door straight at the back end of the hall. 

She couldn’t see much, but she could see its frame - which was much larger, and subsequently more imposing than the other doors on the floor. While the others were colored a bland grey, this one was red. To her, the difference was jarring. But at the same time, familiar somehow.

_Should I open it?_

The thought sounded stupid in Sayaka’s head. Of _course_ she should open it! All the doors need to be checked, especially if one could lead to their escape. She held her hand out, slowly reaching to grab one of its large, obsidian black handles.

...But for some reason, the voice in the back of her head was practically _screaming_ at her to leave it alone. So she froze, stuck in indecision until she heard a familiar voice call to her from behind.

“Hey, check this out! This one’s unlocked!” She pulled away, and walked towards her friend.

Leon held open a door, and Sayaka was briefly disappointed to see no daylight behind it. But still, it was important to look inside. At least that one didn’t give her as weird a vibe…

* * *

  
  
  
  


She winced as Leon found the light switch, but felt relief at finally being able to properly see. From the inside, the unlocked room was much more expansive than Sayaka thought initially. An array of different items were haphazardly ordered amongst shelves, all the way to the back. Ranging from clothes, to toiletries, and other miscellaneous things.

“Guess this is a warehouse, hm?” She asked, her voice feeling slightly better after her bout of silence. Leon nodded.

“Yep, looks like a good place to change outta these rags, too!” He tugged on the end of his towel in distaste.

Sayaka surveyed the ceiling. “Looks like there’s no cameras in here, either. Well, one that will be able to see the whole room.”

Relief overtook both of them, as they feel like they have _some_ semblance of privacy. 

“You can change first, Leon. I’ll wait outside until you’re done!” Sayaka moved towards the door, catching him off guard.

“Wh- Hey! _I’m_ supposed to be the chivalrous one here!” He complained. But Sayaka reassured him with a gentle smile, giving him back his white jacket in the same way he gave it to her. 

“You’ve been plenty chivalrous enough, Leon.” She assured him, meeting his eyes, and noticing his face grew a slight shade of red, “And I can tell you want to change clothes even more than I do, anyways. Consider it my thanks.”

Leon could only stutter, as he watched her move towards the door. 

“O...Ok!” He croaked, before hastily turning to move deeper into the warehouse. Meanwhile, Sayaka was already out of the room, keeping the door wide open so she felt somewhat safer than before.

For a few moments, she could finally _relax_. Intensely tired, she leaned against the wall, and closed her eyes. For once, she wouldn’t think about anything.

Not the subtle panic making a pit in her stomach. Not the stress of making sure everyone’s alright. Not the uncertainty of where they are, and if they can escape.

And _especially_ not the uneasiness she feels about that red door, only several feet away from where she's sitting.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter's gonna be from Mondo's POV, so get ready for that! Several more characters are gonna enter the scene, and you can probably already figure out who.


End file.
